It's been an exhilarating week.
One of those moments where people come together to fight a common enemy, where it feels like for once, things might actually change. One by one, politicians, journalists, activists and celebrities got bold as they saw a chance to finally oppose the power that is Murdoch. They realised there would never be a better chance.
But don't worry, it would appear normal service has resumed. Today, politicians are happily blaming the "other lot" for not acting sooner, journos are using the scandal to smear whichever politician/paper they dislike the most, activists are using it to give their tribe a boost and I would imagine, Murdoch is sighing a big sigh of relief today.
However, a quick word of warning to those who might be tempted to think this didn't really mean much. As the extraordinarily out of touch John Rentoul implies in the Inde or Simon Jenkins on Sky News who tried to remind us that "no-one had died"
Well, I dispute that. The News of the World - but also The Daily Mail, The Express and the Sun have been peddling their nasty garbage for years. Emboldened as time went on by an almost total lack of regulation and meek, pocket-politicians they have lied and cheated and created division and fear at every opportunity.
If you're a celebrity or politician who's personal life was ripped apart, you will surely be doing everything in your power to keep this story alive? If you're sick or disabled and have endured endless lies about "scroungers" or "cheats" you will be praying that this changes things. If you're a single Mum or someone with skin that isn't white or someone who is gay, there's a fairly good chance today that you're fighting Murdoch in any way you can think of. If you're an innocent man accused of paedophilia who's life was ripped apart by the right wing press I imagine you might be desperate to see change here.
The parents of Milly Dowler, our dead servicemen, the Soham girls and all the others must be hoping very much that press power and corruption is finally addressed once and for all.
There's a saying isn't there? "Be careful who you **** on on the way up...." Could anyone in the history of paybacks have **** on more people or more vulnerable groups than these nasty rags? Will there be many people with the appetite to help out Coulson or Wade or Murdoch? Not out of the goodness of their hearts I imagine.
The News of the World is just a symbol today - possibly even a scapegoat. The Mail and all the others, crushed people's lives just as horrifically, never stopping to care about the fallout they might have caused.
Let's forget the bickering eh? Let's keep the spirit of the last week that led to the closure of the most widely read newspaper in the UK. Let's keep our eye on the ball, forget stupid factionalism, forget tribes and scoring points and just make sure that our newspapers are never given free reign to destroy lives again. Let's turn our heat on the other papers and make it very clear to our politicians and our journalists that we expect them to sort this out. We don't care what "the other lot" did, we just want to change things once and for all.
Excellent post, Sue. You summed it up perfectly, thank you x
ReplyDeleteI rather think this pressure will remain. I think the current crop of politicians are simply unable to respond in a meaningful way. The party machines are falling back on familiar tactics because they have little else. Bear in mind it is a couple of solid MPs and some (rightly) aggrieved celebs that are driving this and they seem unlikely to stop.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I think this has tainted the already-low public perception of journalists in much the same way that the expenses scandal did for MPs as a whole. It is not that much of a stretch to point out that those who have demonised so many innocent people are, themselves, the demons. I certainly intend to do so at every opportunity.
The daily mail are just as bad in which over the coming weeks will prove no doubt
ReplyDeleteThe Ministry of propaganda and social engineering must be feeling a little redundant now. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat Post Sue, Totally agree and lets hope its the turn of the Daily Fail and all the rest of those hate mongering tabloids. Now perhaps those millions of misguided people have woken up and smelt the rose's. Could the tide turn we hope so, Mr C in my opinion has lost face and i don't think will recover anytime soon
ReplyDeleteExcellent (as ever) blog Sue. You're right of course; it is very important to maintain the pressure if only to create a questioning disbelief in what any of the media say.
ReplyDeleteThat was phone so-called hacking; will be very interesting to see what breaks when computer hacking is revealed as the source of stories.
(NOTE to anyone vulnerable - include one piece of disinformation that will reveal the compromised source)
A lot of recent media stories about disability benefits have originated in "Whitehall" from people with access to the full picture yet they have been shown to be. We need civil service whistle-bloweres to reveal what is going on.
ReplyDeleteerrm...Miss Dowler died. It isn't like the tree in the wood scenario gone wonky...if the text messages appear to be read and deleted then the person may not be dead after all...just seems like it!
ReplyDelete"Simon Jenkins on Sky News who tried to remind us that "no-one had died""
ReplyDeleteWell, I think they have. Paul McMuck expressed his regret in one of his interviews this week that after he had "completely humiliated and destroyed" one woman, she took her own life two weeks later. Can't remember who she was as celeb culture isn't my thing, but she was the daughter of a public figure, famous in her own right I think but her drug habit reduced her to begging on the street.
"Carpe Diem" Thats what needs to happen. Our lives have been filled with dread over the last few months/years its time for payback and i dont give a damm who we upset. Media magnets, prime ministers, mp's. Lets get it on
ReplyDeleteYes. To everything you just said. <3
ReplyDeleteVery nice post Sue.
ReplyDeleteI think that the media "owned" by Murdoch does not represent the interests of the British people .His media are using the weapon of the darkest propaganda, the weapon of the blackmail and of the Divide et Impera . Surely we will not feel the lack of such infamous media that are working to disgregate and destroy the social tissue of Britain !
See the Daily Fail are at it again big spread about girl pregnant, just like mother was, this type of reporting is just what we are fighting against. Its not news its just blatant finger pointing
ReplyDeleteThe News of the World is a symbol, perhaps a scapegoat as you say, but it would be well to remember it so the bskyb deal doesn't go through. That's why it was sacrificed, not because readers got upset at its content.
ReplyDelete